Need help w/ nitrates

[zoie2]

I am still having a problem with my nitrates. They were at for 10 for a while, then went up to 20, then 40, then 60!! Nothing has died, I haven't added any new fish, I cut back on my feedings, I do a 10% water change every Friday (I use RO water). I thought it was my test kit because my bottle was almost empty so I got a new kit and it was the same. I did a 10% water change 2 days after my regular change and it didn't go down. Then I did a 20% water change and it went down to 40. The next day I did a 10% water change and it stayed at 40.(maybe a hair better)
I only have 10lbs. of LR in my tank. It's a 12 gal. Would adding more LR add more filtration and maybe that would lower my nitrates?
PH 8.2 I don't know what I'm doing wrong, maybe it's something I'm NOT doing.
Alk 3.5 meq/L Am I sapose to clean anything in the back of my tank? The
calcium 420 pump, or the walls inside? I need help!!

:help:
Amonia-0
nitrites 0
nitrates 40
temp 79

 

[sou812]

when u do your water changes do u stir the sand good? if not do it your sand could be dying

 

[zoie2]

I don't stir it, but I do vacuum just the top of it. Someone told me not to go too deep, just the top. Should I go a little deeper? I also have 4 narcuss snails that plow their way through the sand. everytime I feed my sun coral they come up from the sand to steel some food from the sun coral.
What would dying sand look like?

 

[zman1]

I would not go deep. If you have anaerobic bacteria you may kill it. This is the oxygen free zone that processes Nitrate into nitrogen gas.. What kind of food are you feeding?

 

[sou812]

I would not vacume the live sand but stire it by hand or else u will get deab spots and the live sand will start to die

 

[zoie2]

I feed my fish formula 1 small pellet ( one piece at a time to make sure he eats it and it doesn't fall to the ground), I was feeding some of my coral PhytoPlex and ChromaPlex alternately 3x a week, and I was feeding my sun coral 1/2 cube of frozen formula 1 3x a week. I cut my corals back to 2x a week (PhytoPlex 1 feeding, and ChromaPlex the next feeding). And I cut my sun coral back to 2x a week.

 

[jester805]

I had a big nitrate problem a while back. Mine was clear up to 200 ppm. I did 50% water changes (with RO water) every Saturday for 3 weeks. Now it's down to around 20 ppm.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by zoie2
I am still having a problem with my nitrates. They were at for 10 for a while, then went up to 20, then 40, then 60!! Nothing has died, I haven't added any new fish, I cut back on my feedings, I do a 10% water change every Friday (I use RO water). I thought it was my test kit because my bottle was almost empty so I got a new kit and it was the same. I did a 10% water change 2 days after my regular change and it didn't go down. Then I did a 20% water change and it went down to 40. The next day I did a 10% water change and it stayed at 40.(maybe a hair better)
I only have 10lbs. of LR in my tank. It's a 12 gal. Would adding more LR add more filtration and maybe that would lower my nitrates?
PH 8.2 I don't know what I'm doing wrong, maybe it's something I'm NOT doing.
Alk 3.5 meq/L Am I sapose to clean anything in the back of my tank? The
calcium 420 pump, or the walls inside? I need help!!

:help:
Amonia-0
nitrites 0
nitrates 40
temp 79

What is your filtration?
All of your other numbers look great...adding more LR will only help in every respect.

 

[zoie2]

YEA!!!!!!I figured it out!! (After talking with you all, and the LFS) I WAS feeding too much. The label on the bottel of the PhytoPlex and ChromoPlex said to feed 3x a week, but my LFS said not so in a nano. I keep forgetting that the rules are different with a nano. He said with regular water changes I replenish most filter feeders food. He said I can add a little PhytoPlex 1x week and the next week use the ChromPlex.
I also added more LR. I got some nice Tonga Branches. It makes the tank look better too. I only got 10lbs. of LR bevause I figured as I added my coral, they would be on LR, thus adding LR as I went.
Anyway, thanks for all the help!! I don't know what I would do w/o everyone here!!

:jumping:

 

[frosty]

I have been using a poly filter that I change about once a week. Its the same kind of filter used to absorb copper and meds. That helps the nitrates stay at around 10ppm It absorbs the phosphates too.

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by frosty
I have been using a poly filter that I change about once a week. Its the same kind of filter used to absorb copper and meds. That helps the nitrates stay at around 10ppm It absorbs the phosphates too.

There is no poly filter, that I know of, that does anything to absorb nitrates.
I would surmise you are doing other things that keep the trates low.

 

[frosty]

I guess maybe you should do some research on this subject. The poly filter has worked for me for a while now, Here is a website that I got the info from.
http://saltaquarium.about.com./cs/ni...nitrateabs.htm
Top 6 Nitrate Absorbing Product Picks
Guide Picks
From Stan & Debbie Hauter,
Your Guide to Saltwater Aquariums.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Although not normally a major problem for most fish, excess nitrate (NO³) in a reef aquarium can be very detrimental the health of corals and many other invertebrates. Aside from using a denitrator unit, a number of methods and materials can be utilized to absorb or convert nitrate to a harmless substance. Here are some nitrate absorbing products your Guides consider to be the best to help resolve high nitrate problems in saltwater aquarium and reef tank systems.
1) Purigen
Purigen is a synthetic adsorbent, not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water. Purigen removes proteins, nitrites and nitrates, ammonia, and a broad spectrum of organics. Purigen darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with household bleach.
2) Poly-Filter Pads
The Poly-Bio Filter Pad, by Poly-Bio-Marine, Inc. With Poly-Filters, all water impurities like phosphates, nitrates, copper, silicates, and even ammonia are absorbed. The pads can be regenerated by simple rinsing in saltwater (saltwater use can be regenerated by the reverse, rinsing in freshwater). The pad design allows for use in canister filters or any other type of filtration system.Read Review
3) HyperSorb
A synthetic adsorbent with organic removal capacity. HyperSorb also stabilizes pH and ionic balance, removes pollutants and helps control ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
4) Poly Discs
Reportedly out-performs carbon, organic resins and polymeric adsorbents. Molecular absorption filtration maximizes removal of dissolved pollutants using a high-flow disposable filter medium called Poly Discs - a Poly Filter in disk form.
5) FilStar Nitra-Zorb
A blend of natural and synthetic ion-exchange resins that selectively remove ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. In new aquariums, Nitra-Zorb controls the level of toxic ammonia and nitrite during initial development of the biological filter. In established aquariums, it helps control sudden surges in ammonia and nitrite caused by the addition of new fish, or anytime ammonia or nitrite is detected.

 

[frosty]

I guess maybe you should do some research on this subject. The poly filter has worked for me for a while now, Here is a website that I got the info from.
http://saltaquarium.about.com./cs/ni...nitrateabs.htm
Top 6 Nitrate Absorbing Product Picks
Guide Picks
From Stan & Debbie Hauter,
Your Guide to Saltwater Aquariums.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!
Although not normally a major problem for most fish, excess nitrate (NO³) in a reef aquarium can be very detrimental the health of corals and many other invertebrates. Aside from using a denitrator unit, a number of methods and materials can be utilized to absorb or convert nitrate to a harmless substance. Here are some nitrate absorbing products your Guides consider to be the best to help resolve high nitrate problems in saltwater aquarium and reef tank systems.
1) Purigen
Purigen is a synthetic adsorbent, not a mixture of ion exchangers or adsorbents, but a unique macro-porous synthetic polymer that removes soluble and insoluble impurities from water. Purigen removes proteins, nitrites and nitrates, ammonia, and a broad spectrum of organics. Purigen darkens progressively as it exhausts, and is easily renewed by treating with household bleach.
2) Poly-Filter Pads
The Poly-Bio Filter Pad, by Poly-Bio-Marine, Inc. With Poly-Filters, all water impurities like phosphates, nitrates, copper, silicates, and even ammonia are absorbed. The pads can be regenerated by simple rinsing in saltwater (saltwater use can be regenerated by the reverse, rinsing in freshwater). The pad design allows for use in canister filters or any other type of filtration system.Read Review
3) HyperSorb
A synthetic adsorbent with organic removal capacity. HyperSorb also stabilizes pH and ionic balance, removes pollutants and helps control ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
4) Poly Discs
Reportedly out-performs carbon, organic resins and polymeric adsorbents. Molecular absorption filtration maximizes removal of dissolved pollutants using a high-flow disposable filter medium called Poly Discs - a Poly Filter in disk form.
5) FilStar Nitra-Zorb
A blend of natural and synthetic ion-exchange resins that selectively remove ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. In new aquariums, Nitra-Zorb controls the level of toxic ammonia and nitrite during initial development of the biological filter. In established aquariums, it helps control sudden surges in ammonia and nitrite caused by the addition of new fish, or anytime ammonia or nitrite is detected.[/QUOTE]

 

[ctgretzky9]

Originally Posted by frosty
I guess maybe you should do some research on this subject. The poly filter has worked for me for a while now, Here is a website that I got the info from.

Oh, sorry. The way you had it worded vs. the thread info seemed like you were speaking of regular floss-type stuff.
yea, I know about those pads and filters...in short, they only work to a degree. They will never get nitrates down to acceptable levels if the rest of the maintenance procedures and filtration methods arent adressed. They do work for getting trates down 10-20 ppm. But if you are getting readings of 80 ppm, that isnt going to be enough without changing other aspects of the aquarium.
They are good tools, but not a cure all.